Rolling the dice: NBA Draft Picks are young and risky

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The NBA news of the weekend belonged to the Los Angeles Clippers. GM Jerry West and owner Steve Balmer pulled off a stunning trade deal to bring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to the other Staples Arena team. As part of the transaction, they traded away a whopping 7 future first round draft picks.

On the surface, trading away the future of the team may seem irrational. However, the ages of these future picks adds a new element worth consideration. The players coming out of college and sometimes high school has steadily gotten younger. And while talent is talent, it’s harder to gauge how successful they will be in the NBA.

Shoutout to @bbqchickenbball for providing the wonderful visualization that captures the younger-draft-pick trend that’s come to define the NBA Lottery.

(P.S. Perhaps Jerry West’s nickname should be changed from “The Logo” to “The Genius.” He’s made stunning moves for the Lakers, Warriors, and now the Clippers.)